A new report may go some way to explaining why Tottenham are consistently posting higher commercial revenue than Arsenal.

The Gunners were by far the superior team on the pitch this season, finishing the campaign just two points shy of Man City and a first Premier League title in a decade.

But while Arsenal may have the bragging rights on the pitch, Spurs are the most profitable team in Premier League history and have extended their lead over their arch-enemies in recent times.

A new investigation into football sponsorship gives a clue as to why Tottenham have the edge in the commercial stakes.

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Spurs dominating Arsenal in one key area

Sponsorship experts Kore recently published their State of the Industry report for 2024, detailing the latest trends in the markets and breaking down some of the key figures.

One area it zeroes in on is social media, which is an increasingly important element of clubs’ commercial strategy.

While Arsenal have more Facebook, Instagram and Twitter followers, Spurs are dominating their rivals on TikTok, which garners the most impressions out of all the platforms by far.

While this may seem trivial at first, it is indicative of the fact that Spurs are routinely the first to innovate when it comes to commercial opportunities.

The data in the report also suggests that Spurs’ use of social media is more efficient than Arsenal’s when it comes to getting eyeballs on their ‘brand’.

That is one reason they have a £58million advantage over Arsenal in terms of income from sponsorship and merchandising, as per their last annual accounts.

And yes, that is in large part due to the enhanced income that Spurs’ world-class stadium provides, on both matchdays and non-matchdays.

But the decision to build the stadium was itself a commercial project. And Spurs’ emphasis on this area had defined how Daniel Levy and co have run the club in recent years.

Can Arsenal catch Spurs up in the commercial department?

Arsenal are a more established brand than Spurs, with a larger global fanbase.

However, Spurs’ consistent efforts to enter new markets in the likes of Japan, South Korea, Australia and the United States means that many not necessarily be the case forever.

Spurs posted revenue of over £500m for the first time last season, while Arsenal were lagging slightly behind on £465m.

Spurs’ lack of lucrative Champions League football combined with Arsenal’s on-pitch resurgence in recent seasons may mean that gap has closed by the time they next release their respective annual accounts.